Stormproof- Part 3

We are wrapping up our three-part series, Stormproof, where we have been encouraging you, through God’s Word, to build a strong foundation to withstand all the storms of life. The following is an excerpt from “Stormproof-Part 3”. We encourage you to listen to the entire message that is available as a free download or experience it via the video or audio players above.

As I finished Part Two, we were reflecting on the fact that challenges come to all of us, but that the foundation needed to withstand the storms of life comes from hearing God’s Word and then putting into practice what you hear. Let’s continue on by looking, again, at Matthew Chapter 7 and verses 24 through 27:

Therefore whosoever heareth these sayings of mine, and doeth them, I will liken him unto a wise man, which built his house upon a rock: And the rain descended, and the floods came, and the winds blew, and beat upon that house; and it fell not: for it was founded upon a rock. And every one that heareth these sayings of mine, and doeth them not, shall be likened unto a foolish man, which built his house upon the sand: And the rain descended, and the floods came, and the winds blew, and beat upon that house; and it fell: and great was the fall of it. 

I want you to notice that the storms did not make the foundation strong. The foundation that was built on a rock was strong before the storms came. Many times Christians will wait until they are in the middle of the storm to strengthen their foundation. Unfortunately, many times it is too late. We can make our spiritual foundations strong before the storm comes.

The storms of life do not make your foundation strong. Tests and trials do not make your spiritual foundation strong. The storms of life simply reveal if there is any weakness in your foundation. Your foundation is strengthened when you build God’s Word into your spirit and then put into practice God’s Word while you are in the midst of the storm. Your foundation can be strong before, during, and after the storm.

Let’s look at what Paul wrote in Ephesians 6:10-13:

Finally, my brethren, be strong in the Lord, and in the power of his might. Put on the whole armour of God, that ye may be able to stand against the wiles of the devil. For we wrestle not against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this world, against spiritual wickedness in high places. Wherefore take unto you the whole armour of God, that ye may be able to withstand in the evil day, and having done all, to stand.

Weymouth translation of Ephesians 6:13 reads, “Therefore put on the complete amour of God, so that you may be able to stand your ground on the day of battle, and, having fought to the end, to remain victors on the field.”

Paul says that there is an evil day that attempts to come into the life of every Christian. We know where evil comes from. It does not come from our Heavenly Father. Jesus said in John 10:10:

The thief cometh not, but for to steal, and to kill, and to destroy: I am come that they might have life, and that they might have it more abundantly.

Notice, even when the evil day comes, we can withstand and remain standing. As Weymouth’s translation says, “…having fought to the end, to remain victors on the field.” God does not promise us that we will never have a battle. God’s Word promises that we will remain victors on the field.

How do we withstand when the evil day comes. The word “withstand” also means “to oppose or to resist.” Remember, James 4:7:

Submit yourselves therefore to God. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you.

It is interesting that the word “resist” found here in James is the same Word used by Paul in Ephesians 6:13. To withstand means to resist. How do we resist? The best example that we have in the Bible is found in Matthew chapter 4, verses 1 thru 11. The story of Jesus’s temptation.

Then was Jesus led up of the Spirit into the wilderness to be tempted of the devil. And when he had fasted forty days and forty nights, he was afterward an hungred. And when the tempter came to him, he said, If thou be the Son of God, command that these stones be made bread. But he answered and said, It is written, Man shall not live by bread alone, but by every Word that proceedeth out of the mouth of God. Then the Devil taketh him up into the holy city, and setteth him on a pinnacle of the temple, And saith unto him, If thou be the Son of God, cast thyself down: for it is written, He shall give his angels charge concerning thee: and in their hands they shall bear thee up, lest at any time thou dash thy foot against a stone. Jesus said unto him, It is written again, Thou shalt not tempt the Lord thy God. Again, the devil taketh him up into an exceeding high mountain, and sheweth him all the kingdoms of the world, and the glory of them; And saith unto him, All these things will I give thee, if thou wilt fall down and worship me. Then saith Jesus unto him, Get thee hence, Satan: for it is written, Thou shalt worship the Lord thy God, and him only shalt thou serve. Then the Devil leaveth him, and, behold, angels came and ministered unto him.

This story, also found in the Gospel of Luke chapter 4, is the only detailed account of Jesus resisting the devil. How did He do it? Jesus responded to every single temptation by quoting a portion of scripture found in the Old Testament scriptures. (The Old Testament scriptures was the only Bible they had at this time.) Jesus quoted three verses from the book of Deuteronomy. Notice in verse 11 that it was after Jesus consistently spoke the Word that the devil then left Him.

When did the devil leave Jesus? Only after Jesus resisted him. How did Jesus resist him? By opening His mouth and saying what God’s Word said about that temptation. How do we withstand in the evil day? How do we resist the devil when he comes with evil? By speaking God’s Word out of our mouth. We must know what God’s Word says before we can boldly use that Word against Satan.

All the amour that Paul lists in Ephesians chapter 6, verses 14 through 17, represents spiritual truth that is found in the Word of God. That truth must become fully established in your heart and mind. So much so, that when the evil day comes, the first thing that comes out of your mouth is what God’s Word says about your situation.

Stand therefore, having girded your waist with truth, having put on the breastplate of righteousness, and having shod your feet with the preparation of the gospel of peace; above all, taking the shield of faith with which you will be able to quench all the fiery darts of the wicked one. And take the helmet of salvation, and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God.

In his book, Christ the Healer, F.F. Bosworth said, “The act of faith is not only a physical act; it includes the exercise of the heart and mind toward God. The full exercise of faith means that we think faith, speak faith, act faith. This brings the manifestation of all that faith takes according to the promise of the Word.” (p. 135, Baker Publishing Group) The full exercise of faith means our minds, our spirits, our thoughts, and our words are governed or controlled by what we believe. If our belief is fully established in God’s Word, then what God’s Word says will be our first response to the storms of life.

Remember our story in Matthew, chapter 7? The story of the two foundations? Earlier we saw that the storm did not make the foundation strong. The foundation was strong before the storm came.  Luke 6:48, recording the same story says,

He is like a man which built an house, and digged deep, and laid the foundation on a rock: and when the flood arose, the stream beat vehemently upon that house, and could not shake it: for it was founded upon a rock.

In this verse, talking about the man who had a solid foundation, it says, “he dug deep.”

We need to dig deep into God’s Word. It is not a casual glance of God’s Word that establishes and strengthens us. It is taking time to meditate in God’s Word until the truth we have discovered has become firmly settled in our hearts; so settled that nothing and no one can convince us otherwise. As Romans 4:21 says, Abraham was “fully persuaded that, what he had promised, he was able also to perform.” We, too, must become fully persuaded, we must be confident, that what God’s Word says about our authority over Satan and sickness and disease is true; so much so that nothing or no one can move us away from what we believe.

You can storm-proof your life. You can build a solid foundation that consists of knowing and acting on God’s Word. God’s Word has the answer for every situation in life. It does not matter what happens in the world around us. It does not matter what new sickness or what new virus is discovered. The Word of God believed and acted upon will bring God’s power and protection into your life and the life of your family.